Ben Simmons Declined New York Knicks’ Contract Offer

Ben Simmons declined the New York Knicks’ one-year contract offer, according to NBA insider Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Simmons, 29, could retire from the NBA.

“The Knicks, league sources said, indeed offered a one-year contract to Ben Simmons that the former All-Star passed on,” Stein wrote. “New York is limited to minimum contract offers as training camps draw near and Simmons entered the summer hopeful of securing a contract above the minimum after he split last season between the Nets and Clippers.

“Boston and New York, I’m told, expressed the most serious interest in Simmons this summer.”

Simmons no longer has an agent, as Bernie Lee dropped the Aussie as a client. Simmons played for the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Clippers last season.

A three-time All-Star, Simmons averaged 5.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 0.7 steals and 0.5 blocks with the Nets and Clippers in 2024-25 while shooting 52.0% from the field and 72.7% from the free-throw line. He only had one double-double.

Simmons was once one of the best players in the NBA. He was the first pick in the 2016 draft by the Philadelphia 76ers and made three All-Star teams, two All-Defensive teams and one All-NBA team with the Sixers.

However, everything changed in the 2021 playoffs. Simmons lost confidence offensively and dealt with mental health issues. He requested a trade from the Sixers in 2021-22 and was traded to the Nets for 2018 MVP James Harden, who ironically was teammates with Simmons on the Clippers last season.

Simmons missed the entire 2021-22 season due to mental health and back issues. He has career averages of 13.1 points, 7.4 rebounds, 7.2 assists, 1.5 steals and 0.7 blocks with the Sixers, Nets and Clippers.

The Knicks lost to the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 Eastern Conference Finals in six games. Tom Thibodeau was shockingly fired as head coach and replaced by Mike Brown, who was fired by the Sacramento Kings last season.